Word Balloon Comic Books Podcast

Tony Harris pt1 Deconstructing The Great Machine

On this episode of Word Balloon we begin a 2 part talk with
artist Tony Harris. Tony and Brian K Vaughn have just wrapped up
their Wildstorm comic Ex-Machina. We talk about what it’s like to
live with drawing the same book month after month for a long period
of time.

Tony also takes us through his comic career,
from co-founding Gajin Studios, to hooking up with James
Robinson to do 40
issues of Starman . Tony fondly reflects on working with Starman
editor Archie Goodwin, and how Goodwin’s adaptation of Star Wars
The Empire Strikes Back with artist Al Williamson was responsible Tony’s first attempt
at drawing comics.

We discuss Ex-Machina, from Tony’s first
discussions with Vaughn, and the early designs for The Great
Machine’s costume, to the very last issue. Tony talks about the
careful attention detail he put into designing the art, to make their fictional
New York feel right for the NYC locals. He also discusses the life-like
process of casting his friends at a local Christmas party , to pose
for modeling as the characters in Ex-Machina . Tony would hand the
Robinson script to his models and they would “act” out the poses
like a stage play.

Next week in part 2, we discuss Tony’s
attempts at getting a comics creators guild organized, and what’s
in his future , now that Ex-Machina has wrapped up?

Note: This interview took place before the DC
entertainment announcement of Wildstorm’s demise as an imprint.
Attempts at a direct comment from Harris are still in
process.